Pseudoraphis spinescens

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms prostrate; 10–30 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades floating; 3–12 cm long; 2–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–30; borne along a central axis; 1.5–4 cm long; bearing 5–10 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 3–9 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like. Spikelet packing abaxial; distant.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 5–8 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels; 7–11 -veined. Upper glume margins spinulose. Upper glume apex caudate, or attenuate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 0.7 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–9 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea separating from lemma above; 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis exposed between gaping lemma and palea at maturity.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. HJW 2000.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.